Skip to main content
Log in

Opinion and behaviour of pharmacists towards the substitution of branded drugs by generic drugs: survey of 1,000 French community pharmacists

  • Published:
Pharmacy World and Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: In 1999, a new law was introduced, giving French pharmacists the right to switch from branded to generic drugs, unless the prescriber had specified that substitution was not permitted. The purpose of this study was to assess the opinion and behaviour of community pharmacists towards substitution.Design: Self‐completion, postal close‐ended questionnaires were filled out.Sample and setting: 1,000 French community pharmacists were includedResults: 90% of the pharmacists were favourable to the implementation of the substitution right. 42.5% declared they systematically offered patients the generic drug, whereas 55% chose to target specific populations for substitution. The reluctance of pharmacists could be commercial ('How do I get paid for the time spent? Is it worth risking loosing a customer?'), or cultural ('How do I work this out? Who should I offer generic drugs to? What strategy should I use to offer them?').Conclusion: Generic drug distribution is very recent in France and is not yet common practice. Pharmacists and patients must be informed and trained because substitution is a collaborative act. It does not depend solely on the will and experience of pharmacists.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Decree No. 99–486 of 11 June 1999.

  2. Meunier J, Thuillier A. Generic drugs and right of substitution. Relating to the article of the 1999 Social Security Financing Act. Ann Pharm Fr 1999; 57(4): 340–8.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Arrêté du 28 avril 1999 relatif aux marges des médicaments remboursables [Article of 28 April 1999 related to the margin of drugs reimbursed by French Social Security.] Journal Officiel of 29 April 1999: 6386–8.

  4. Martin E, Rupprecht F. Les enjeux du médicament générique. [The stakes of generic drugs.] Economie et Statistique 1998; 312–313: 55–66.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Garattini L, Tediosi F. A comparative analysis of generics markets in five European countries. Health Policy 2000; 51(3): 149–62.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Rubak SL, Andersen ML, Mainz J et al. How do pharmacists evaluate the newly introduced system of substitution prescriptions ? Ugeskr Laeger 2000; 162(45): 6074–7.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Andersen ML, Laursen K, Shaumann M et al. How do patients evaluate the newly introduced system of substitution prescriptions ? Ugeskr Laeger 2000; 162(45): 6066–9.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rubak SL, Andersen ML, Mainz J et al. How do practitioners evaluate the newly introduced system of substitution prescriptions ? Ugeskr Laeger 2000; 162(45): 6070–3.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Nordling S, Lindberg G, Sandberg C, Annel A, Melander A, Rydberg T. Hur gick försöket med generisk substitution i Skane? Stockholm: Apotekarsocietetens Förlag, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Barry H, Allenet B. Analyse des conditions d'intégration des produits génériques dans les officines. Proposition d'une typologie comportementale des pharmaciens. [Analysis of the conditions of generic drugs integration in pharmacies. Proposition for a pharmacist behaviour typology.] Les Nouvelles Pharmaceutiques 2001; 373: 557–562.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Statistiques de l'Ordre National des Pharmaciens au 1er janvier 2000 [Figures of the French National Board of Pharmacists, 1 January 2000] (http://www.ordre.pharmacien.fr).

  12. Norgaard, LS, Colberg L, Niemann MR. The role of the Danish community pharmacist: perceptions and future scenarios. Pharm World Sci 2001; 23(4): 159–164.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Rubak SL, Andersen ML, Mainz J et al. How do pharmacists evaluate the newly introduced system of substitution prescriptions ? Ugeskr Laeger 2000; 162(45): 6074–7.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Allaert FA. Evolution de l'image des médicaments génériques dans la population française de 1996 à 1997. [Evolution of the image of generic drugs among the French population from 1996 to 1997.] J Econ Med 1998; 16(1): 93–96.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Ganther JM, Kreling DH. Consumer perceptions of risk and required cost savings for prescription drugs. J Am Pharm Assoc 2000; 40(3): 378–383.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Andersen ML, Laursen K, Shaumann M et al. How do patients evaluate the newly introduced system of substitution prescriptions ? Ugeskr Laeger 2000; 162(45): 6066–9.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Rubak SL, Andersen ML, Mainz J et al. How do practitioners evaluate the newly introduced system of substitution prescriptions ? Ugeskr Laeger 2000; 162(45): 6070–3.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pelton LE, Strutton D, Smith MC. A political economy perspective: why pharmacists may be reluctant to dispense generic medications. J Hosp Mark 1994; 9(1): 137.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Suth DC. Trends of generic substitution in community pharmacies. Pharm World Sci 1999; 21(6): 260–5.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Allenet, B., Barry, H. Opinion and behaviour of pharmacists towards the substitution of branded drugs by generic drugs: survey of 1,000 French community pharmacists. Pharm World Sci 25, 197–202 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025840920988

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025840920988

Navigation